Unbreakable flexible live plant holder with desired drainage flow

ABSTRACT

The inventive plant holder is made of at least two layers of cloth like material and configured to hold soil for a live plant for both indoor and outdoor use. The invention allows the plant to be irrigated without detriment to the holder by allowing excess water to drain out a target area, but keeping the soil moist. The holder has an outer layer of material that allows for various types of decorative and custom designs.

REFERERNCE TO PRIORITY DOCUMENTS

The present Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/______ filed Apr. 30, 2004 and entitled UNBREAKABLE FLEXIBLE LIVE PLANT HOLDER WITH OPTIMIZED DRAINAGE FLOW, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is current being sold under the trade name GARDEN BAG™ and can be used as an attractive alternate to ceramic pots for holding plants. The inventive plant holder is made of at least two layers of cloth like material and configured to hold soil for a live plant for both indoor and outdoor use. The invention allows the plant to be irrigated without detriment to the holder by allowing excess water to drain out a target area, but keeping the soil moist. The holder has an outer layer of material that allows for various types of decorative and custom designs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be best understood by contemplating the following illustrations in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a front view of a representative flexible plant holder;

FIG. 1B illustrates a back view of the flexible plant holder;

FIG. 1C illustrates a side view of the flexible plant holder and component materials;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the irrigation flow of the flexible plant holder at two different temporal points;

FIGS. 3 illustrates an alternate drainage configuration of the inventive plant holder with targeted drainage;

FIGS. 4A-D show the components for the construction of the flexible plant holder;

FIGS. 5A-5G illustrate a representative assembly implementation for making the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a sample implementation of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1A-1C, three views of the present invention are illustrated from the front, rear and side views, respectively. The present invention marketed under the trade name GARDEN BAG™ (shown as GB) is desiged to hold soil and live plant in a manner similar to a flower pot made of ceramic material, but is flexible and versatile making it a good design choice for both interiors and exteriors. Referring now to FIG. 1A, the front view of the inventive plant holder GB includes a indoor/outdoor fabric in a top layer TL and bottom layer BL that may be decorative in nature and can withstand rain, sun and other elements and may include available fabrics as SUMBRELLA™ and other similar materials. The indoor/outdoor material TL and BL is generally 100 percent acrylic and does not discolor when it gets wet. An additional interior plastic layer PL ,usually of 3 or 4 ply plastic in a preferred embodiment is sewn inside the I/O material bottom layer BL and further protects the indoor/outdoor fabric from the bottom I/O material layer BL from the soil or plant support PS located in the interior space IS of the plant holder. A plant P is supported by the plant support and extends above the opening O, such that the plant P may be viewed.

A semicircular-like handle H is attached at the top of the garden bag GB preferrably at the stitch (not shown) between the front and rear at attachment points A which straddle the front and rear panels of the bag. The handle is usually made of a folded over layer of indoor/outdoor material and thread. The assembly of the handle will be discussed below. The handle H usually extends above the plant P height for maximum flexibility, but does not need to as the handle H is flexible like the bag GB and can be moved in any direction. The present invention contemplates different types of handles and lengths thereof in order to accommodate different uses.

Another inventive feature of the present invention is that holder includes a “landscape fabric” use to construct the back panel or LF as shown in FIG. 1B (rear view). The landscape fabric LF allows the user to water the plant normally while excess water drains away, preferrable unseen. As a result the soil is kept moist, but not too wet, and the plant's roots are protected. As can be appreciated, the landscape fabric LF is used such that the plant holder may drain, and the entirety of the back panel does not need to be constructed of landscape fabric. Landscape fabric is normally available at large landscaping or home and garden centers.

FIG. 1C illustrates a side view of a representative embodiment of the inventive plant holder GB . The handle H is attached to the body of the bag at attachments A that are fastened to both the front and the rear panels of the plant holder GB.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the versatility of the inventive plant holder and functionality of the drainage and irrigation system for keeping the plant healthy and allowing excess water to drain optimally from the rear of the plant holder. FIG. 2A shows a water source WS pours water into the interior space IS and into the plant support PS, which is usually soil. The arrows indicate the water or irrigation flow WF downward.

FIG., 2B shows a side view of excess water, indicated by arrows flowing our of the landscape fabric LF in the rear panel of the plant holder. The plastic layer PL on the interior of the bottom layer of the indoor/outdoor fabric BL prevents the water from damaging the decorative indoor/outdoor fabric and allows the drainage to flow out only one side of the bag, making the plant holder more versatile for decorating purposes.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternate embodiment of the inventive plant holder is shown with an alternately shaped drainage system caused by making a narrower panel of landscaping fabric LF on the back panel. Thus, the indoor/outdoor fabric TL′ and BL′ extend further around than just the front panel and the interior plastic lining PL of 3-4 ply plastic extends as well. Thus, the excess water EW is confined to a narrower flow than the preferred embodiment shown above and may be more desirable for purely indoor or more restrictive settings. For example, excess water EW will flow or drop directly into the drain D.

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate four components for manufacturing the inventive plant holder. FIG. 4A illustrates a sample of indoor/outdoor fabric that is in a sample size of 12 by 9 inches. The decorative side of the I/O fabric is shown by the representative marks and indicate by label DF. FIG. 4B shows a sample dimensions for the handle which may be made of the same material as the I/O fabric or made of a different material. The sample dimensions illustrated are 18 by 9 inches. FIG. 4C shows a sample size of 3 or 4 ply plastic which is cut to be 12 by 9 inches or generally the same size or a bit smaller than the I/O fabric. FIG. 4D shows that the landscape layer LF is cut the same size (for the preferred embodiment) as the I/O material, but may be cut to a different size and shape for purposes of manufacturing the alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and discussed above.

FIGS. 5A-5G illustrate the assembly process used in making the present invention. FIG. 5A shows that the plastic layer PL is placed above the indoor/outdoor layer AL, which is placed decorative face DF down. The two layers are then placed over the landscaping fabric LF. In the step illustrated by FIG. 5B, the three layers are sewn togther on three sides while the bag is still inside-out with stitch line S(t1). FIG. 5C shows a step in which the top of the bag is folded over approximately one inch and sewn all the around at second stitch point S(t2). This creates a finished top edge while the bad is still inside-out. The plastic layer is sewn to the side of the acryllic fabric and the top of the bag is left open so that items may be inserted.

FIGS. 5D-5F shows the manufacture of the handle H. In FIG. 5D, the handle strip of indoor material is folded and preferrably ironed at center part F. In FIG. 5E, the strip is then folded at second handle folds F1 and F2 which creates two outside panels. The outside panels are then folded into the middle and optimally will meet. The handle material is then folded down the center and sewn down the open side along stitch line S(t3), which is shown by FIG. 5F. The unfinished edge is then folded under itself and the handle is then attached to the bag where the front F and rear or back R panels meet is a “X” pattern stitch XS an inch on both sides. This step is shown by FIG. 5G.

As can be appreciated by artisans, the functional features of the present invention may be achieved by materials and manufacturing techniques, such as alternate cuts, folds or stitches which are not illustrated herein, but which are within the scope of the present invention. The above examples, especially dimension are meant to be illustrative to the artisan. The scope of the invention should therefore be determined by reference to the following claims. 

1. A flexible holder for a live plant including: a front outer layer of a flexible material, said outer layer of an indoor/outdoor material; said front outer layer of material lined with a layer of durable waterproof material; said front outer layer operataively attached to a rear panel of landscaping material, said landscaping material having the property of allowing water to flow from the interior to the exterior, wherein said front outer layer and said rear panel are attached such that plant supporting material may be placed into the interior formed thereof; a handle made of flexible material attached to said front outer material and said rear panel, such that said holder may be safely hung.
 2. The plant holder recited in claim 1 wherein said waterproof material is 3 or 4 ply plastic and configured such that said indoor/outdoor material does not get wet when water is poured into said interior.
 3. The flexible plant holder recited in claim 1 wherein said indoor/outdoor material is decorative.
 4. The flexible plant holder recited in claim 1 wherein said handle is attached with an “X” stitch.
 5. The flexible plant holder recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is folded over prior to attaching.
 6. The flexible plant holder recited in claim 1, wherein said indoor/outdoor material includes acrylic.
 7. A portable unbreakable holder for a live plant including: a first panel of indoor/outdoor material lined with waterproof plastic; a second panel of landscaping fabric attached to said first panel on three sides such that a top opening of an interior is formed and capable of holding soil, said landscaping fabric configured to allow water to flow from said top opening to outside said landscaping fabric panel; wherein said first panel is larger than said second panel and said second panel is cut such that it results in a desired external drainage region for excess water when water is poured into said soil in said interior; and a flexible semicircular handle attached to said first panel.
 8. The live plant holder as recited in claim 7, wherein said indoor/outdoor material is patterned.
 9. The live plant holder as recited in claim 7, wherein said indoor/outdoor material is acrylic.
 10. The live plant holder as recited in claim 7, wherein said handle is made of the same material as said first panel of indoor/outdoor material.
 11. A method for making a flexible live-plant holder including the steps of cutting a piece of flexible acrylic cloth to first dimensions; cutting a piece of waterproof material in approximately said first dimensions; cutting a piece of landscape fabric to approximately first dimension; cutting a strip of handle material; placing said acrylic on top of said landscape fabric and said waterproof material on top of said acrylic; stitching said three layers of material on three sides, stitching said three layers of material at top in both front and back and turning said stitched material rightside out; and attaching said handle material with an “X” stitch at both sides and such that it is attached to said landscape fabric and said indoor outdoor material. 